Untamed
by starspangledfeels
Summary: Marinette Dupain-Cheng hasn't donned the mask of Ladybug for 4 years. This has left Paris wondering what happened to make Chat Noir destroy the city and Lady Luck to disappear. Meanwhile, Chat Noir can't help but chase the alluring beauty with sapphire eyes that keep him coming back, and Mari just can't believe that she let the feline criminal back into her heart.
1. Chapter 1

**_As always, my first chapters are about half as long as usual just to get you acquainted with the world and setting. I am very, very excited for this one, but I've got to caution you. There won't be any smut, but there will be sex implied occasionally or some heated kissing. Chat Noir is 23, and Mari is 22 and there is going to be a lot of pent up emotion and passion between the two so yeah. What would you think would happen? Also this is a dark Chat AU... It's going to be a little dark. What do you expect? This is primarily Marichat(My FAVORITE!) with some other mixing of the ships of course. This is rated T, but might need to go up to M later on because this is a little mature. There isn't anything in here above what I think would be acceptable for a 14 year old. This deals with depression, is a little violent, and like I said earlier implies some nasty. As always, I am completely open to reviews and critiques. This is probably going to be my only story that is so dark, usually I write light-hearted stuff. Anyways, thanks for reading and let me know what you think! Feel free to message me anytime whether you're saying hi, asking questions, or if you just want to talk. :) Star Spangled Feels_**

* * *

The _ne'er-do-well had the gall to grin at her. He stepped closer and closer still and she stepped farther back until she hit the wall. His playful smile turned downright predatory and Marinette felt fear flash through her like a wave of cold terror._

* * *

 **Prologue**

Ladybug was accustomed to fighting by his side. It was easy and effortless and an exhilarating rush that left her breathless every time. She moved, he moved. She attacked, he had her back. A blow came for her, and he took it wordlessly. He dealt out swift punishments when she was injured, but he was never angry. She had never seen him mad. Ever. He kept himself patient, reigned in, and calm. Even when she messed up and got them into trouble. Even when she yelled at him, he was repentant and kind. She had never understood it until now, as she knelt by his shaking form, the butterfly Miraculous clutched in one hand. He quivered, his leather clawed hands tainted by dark red. She looked at him, at his eyes clenched shut and at the tears dripping from his mask. Her fingers shook as she reached out to put a hand on his shoulder. She wasn't prepared for his reaction.

He grabbed her hand before she reached him, squeezing her wrist so hard that it hurt. She gasped as he pushed her away, roughly enough to throw her several feet from him. She clutched her wrist, which was sore and smarting. She looked at him, betrayal and confusion pooling in her blue eyes. He had never done _anything_ like this to her before.

"Chat?" She whispered. "Why does it matter who Hawkmoth is? What's going on-" And she paused when he looked up at her. In an instant she knew. She knew why he was so calm and he refused to be angry. He didn't want to be his father. She couldn't believe it. She had thought that he was just upset for killing someone. But no. He had hurt his own father to save her and the city.

She knew this all because Gabriel Agreste was lying in a pool of his own blood in the other side of the room. And then the dam broke and tears poured in earnest from her eyes. She had been holding back tears for Adrien, her classmate, because his father was a monster. She had been holding back tears for Chat, because he had just cataclysmed a _person_. But they were one in the same, and that made it a hundred times worse.

"Adrien…" She whispered, her eyes already blurry from burning tears. His green eyes were unrecognizable. It was like something else lurked there. "Adrien please listen-" And then she stopped again when she really saw the haunted look... The black butterfly flying for him. He was broken, and somehow the emotions raging in him were enough to summon Hawkmoth's dark magic. She cried out but it was too late. The akuma flew into his mask and there was nothing she could do as his eyes grew darker and ceased to belong to someone that she knew.

* * *

 **Chapter One**

Marinette crossed the street with her hand in her jacket pocket, the other was clutching her bag. It was dark, and the night was still and stuffy. She had been at a party, which was why she was out at this dangerous hour. Even 4 years after Chat Noir's reign of terror began Marinette still found herself going out in the dark. She knew that it was dangerous. She knew that she was a small girl, and a lot of people out there would readily take advantage of her. She clutched her yoyo anxiously, constantly checking her environment. She was only a block from her apartment, and she lived in a very safe part of Paris. Besides, she shouldn't be so nervous. But she _was_ nervous, incredibly so.

Since _he_ had left her in the remains of the Agreste mansion, sobbing, scared, and disbelieving, she hadn't donned the mask of Ladybug. After performing the repairing spell, and delivering Gabriel Agreste's body to the police... She couldn't face it. However, since then she had only expanded her skills. For most of her career as Ladybug she had relied on her kwami for strength and skill. But she had worked hard for 4 years and now she was as strong and cunning as she had been in the latex suit. The only thing she didn't have was magic.

And then she heard it and her mind was snapped to the presence. Footsteps. Low and quiet and far too close for comfort. She didn't dare look behind her and alert her follower that she was aware of their presence. The dumbass was actually sneaking up on her, she was _worst_ possible person they could have picked to stalk. And then, when she turned to walk the corner, her hand whipped out of her jacket pocket and she spun with blinding speed to see: nothing. No one was there. Just a quiet and empty street with a lonely lamp illuminated in the distance.

She shoved her yoyo back into her pocket and scurried down the street and into her apartment complex. She went into the elevator quickly, breathing in and out in an attempt to calm her racing heart. She knew that someone had been behind her, but what the hell had happened? She didn't understand any of it. She unlocked her 3rd level apartment, it wasn't too high or too low, a small walk from either the elevator or stairs but they were close enough for her to dash out in a hurry. She was a bit paranoid. Of course, she could just swing out her window with her Miraculous if she really needed too.

Marinette walked inside and paused in front of the open door to her bathroom. She caught sight of something twinkling on her ears in her reflection. She still wore the earrings, she didn't have the heart to take them out. But Tikki didn't speak with her. She hadn't seen her in years, and every time that she thought of her little friend it make her sick to the stomach. She didn't deserve the earrings. Her hands reached up all on their own to take them out but- she couldn't do it. Not yet. A deep, hidden part of her longed so much for the days when she cleansed akumas and swung around Paris by _his_ side. She still loved him. Ever since discovering his identity, despite everything that he had done. She knew that it wasn't his fault.

So she stayed close. She worked at Agreste Inc. She was a top designer, in fact. She loved him from afar, watched from afar. He had never hurt anyone in his escapades. His criminals were the ones that did things like that. Sometimes, when her faith in the real him resurfacing diminished, a serious crime would spring up. One of his gang members would kill or rape a young girl and the perpetrator would be found at the police station with claw marks running down his face. So she knew that Chat- her Chat was in there somewhere. She couldn't find it in herself to fight him. She knew that it was selfish. But she didn't do it. She had faith in him, the ever so often retribution kept her from donning the mask and kicking his leather covered ass.

"You know, you almost got jumped out there." Came a voice from her left. Marinette spun, and she was shocked, but she wasn't frightened of the voice. She knew it too well. Hopefully _he_ didn't realize that and took the surprise in her eyes for fear.

"What?" Chat chuckled from her window seat, sitting there covered in the suit that she knew so well, despite the years. His eyes. The eyes that she could read a mile away. Gosh she loved him. After all this time he was still so damn- stop it. She chided herself. Despite the past, he was a villain now and she needed to focus. "Chat got your tongue?"

"You wish." She blurted before she could stop herself. Marinette slapped her hands over her mouth and her eyes felt so wide that she was afraid that they would fall out. Oh no no no. This was not the time for brave Ladybug. This was the time for scared Marinette that he was less likely to endanger. She didn't want to make him angry.

He burst out laughing and she squeaked. "I-I didn't mean that! No no, I'm grateful because you helped- Oh my gosh you're Chat Noir and you're going to-"

He kept laughing and she made herself stop talking. She tensely awaited for what he would say, but he kept laughing.

"Is this funny too you?" She couldn't stop herself from demanding the words. "If you think that you can just tell me somebody was going to jump me and then turn around and rob me or something-"

"Relax, _purrincess_. I'm not going to hurt you." He suddenly interjected. Marinette was angry that- despite the fact that he had been red in the face and doubled over from laughing- he was still absolutely gorgeous. Curse Adrien for his physique, it was annoying.

"Chat's honor." He held up his fingers in an oath swearing position and Marinette made a face.

"Yeah, because you've demonstrated a lot of that." She scowled.

"Meowch, purrincess. I'm pawsitively wounded that you think so little of me." He stood from the window bench where he had been sitting, and began to stroll around her apartment. She stared after him, dumbfounded. What the hell did he want? Why now? Why was he suddenly right in front of her?

"I can show you the perv who was stalking you if you'd like. I dumped him in the Seine, but I could fish him out to prove it. You're really too pretty for your own good." He managed to say this all casually(while still looking hot as hell), and Marinette could only watch as he inspected her living quarters.

"E-excuse me?" She stuttered. He had to have been following her to find someone else following her. What was going on?

He turned his eyes on her incredulously. "Honestly, Mari. Look at what you're wearing." She automatically looked down at her red party dress under her nice jacket. She frowned. He might have a point.

"How do you remember my name?" She demanded, and then the cocky look in his eyes disappeared. He looked sad for just a moment... But then the sarcasm was back.

"Why _purrincess_ , I'm shocked. We used to be quite good friends, you know." He sat in her desk chair, next to her bed. He twirled in it. "I haven't done this in a while.." He murmured.

"Done what?" Her curiosity got the better of her, and he smiled.

"Sat in your spinning chair," He said simply. She couldn't help but marvel at this all. Adrien Agreste, disguised as Chat Noir, was sitting in her apartment again. After all this time.

"How'd you find me?" She didn't live in her parent's bakery anymore. She had moved out a year ago.

"Just because I didn't visit doesn't mean that I wasn't keeping tabs on an old friend." He shrugged lightly, but Marinette heard the slightly _too_ innocent tone in his voice.

"Why would you do that?" She asked dubiously, folding her arms and popping out a hip. She hadn't been so confident in years. Despite the fact that he was now very, very dangerous, she hadn't felt so safe or comfortable in years. She had been wearing a shy shell, and now he brought out the real her, just like he always had.

"Because you used to be my friend." He had a strange glimmer in his green eyes and the comment brought back a lot of memories to her mind. Midnight talks, hot cocoa in the winter. Him taking her to rooftops in the summer. Spraying his nose with her water in the spring. Late night movies in the fall. If she hadn't been so blinded by Adrien- she would have openly admitted being in love with him. At first the suit had bothered her, the secrecy, but she knew why. And- wait. Used to be his friend?

"Used to?" She was strangely offended. Why was she offended? It wasn't her fault that he had gone practically insane and been akumatized.

"I'm a criminal, remember?" He smirked, eyes sparkling with amusement.

She made a noncommittal noise in her throat and he eyed her.

"Didn't you notice that you've never had any run ins or encountered anyone in the past 4 years?" He pointed out, gesturing at her with one clawed hand.

"I live in a safe neighborhood." She said defensively.

"I made it that way." He said wryly. She scowled. Damn him. She hadn't even noticed that he had been around all this time. Maybe it was good that Tikki was mysteriously missing, if he was frequently watching he might have noticed. Besides, he had known which apartment was her's.

"What do you want, Chat Noir?" She distanced him a little by saying his full title. She had always called him Chat, but she needed to think about this all. She would probably sit in shock all night. Good thing that it was a Friday night.

"Well, being a criminal is a loveless job, purrincess." He wiggled an eyebrow, sporting another dangerously alluring smirk. Her heart beat a little faster.

"If you wanted sex you could get it." She said flatly.

"That's not what I meant." He held back a chuckle, leaning back in the chair.

"Why now?" She asked, a deeper meaning. She begged his green eyes with her own, why now? _Why_ now...

"I don't know…" He mused, picking up a pencil off of her desk and examining it methodically. He looked up at her from under his lashes, she hoped that he didn't hear her breath catch. He smirked a little more and she grumbled. Damn that cat.

"I'll see you around, purrincess." He jumped up lithely, and in what seemed like one smooth motion he swung out her window and into the night. She raced after to lean out the window, gazing into the dark of Paris. Her heart fluttered, reminded of all the times that he had done something like that before. She frowned, shut her window, and locked it. Not like that would stop him. But she wasn't worried about being in danger from Chat Noir. No, she had seen something in his eyes. A plea. He was finally remembering and he wanted help. She had to believe that.

"Tikki…" She asked quietly, turning to face her apartment. And before her eyes, a red spark exploded into existence. Tikki, the ladybug kwami, her friend, looked at her with tears in her eyes.

"Oh, Marinette. I'm so proud of you. I missed you." The kwami flew forwards into the crook of her neck and Marinette began to cry, too.

"Oh, T-tikki." The tears came in earnest. "I'm so sorry… I failed Paris… But we have to make this right. I love my city, and I left it to ruin. I abandoned you, too."

"It's okay, Marinette. You just needed to grow strong enough to do this." Marinette curled in on herself and sat on the floor, holding the little kwami. Those were the words that she needed to hear. That it was okay. That she had needed time.

But now she had work to do.

"Spots On, Tikki…" She whispered, the old words putting courage into her bones. A smile spread across her face as the transformation occurred and that familiar magic spread throughout her. Her eyes opened- raw power surging in them. She flung her window open, grabbed her yoyo, and swung into the broken city that she was determined to fix.

* * *

Alya Cesaire was surfing the news when she saw it. There were police surrounding a bank with hostages in it. She was about to change channels, this wasn't anything new. But then she saw it. A little red blur in the corner of the screen. She looked closer at her screen- it couldn't be.

"No way…" She whispered, eyes wide. But she'd know that suit anywhere. "NINO!" She screeched, calling for her boyfriend. A second later he was stumbling out of their bedroom wearing only his boxers. He was wide awake, despite having been deeply asleep seconds ago. He had long ago adjusted to Alya's antics in the middle of the night.

"Get the Ladyblog servers up!" She yelled, running for a coat and her camera. She shoved her phone in her pocket and got her camera ready for streaming.

"What?" Nino asked, shaking his head, thinking that he was still asleep.

"C'mon!" She ran out the door, still in bunny slippers.

For the first time in 4 years the Ladyblog was streaming live and and all over Paris alerts buzzed and people watched in silent trepidation. One by one they heard gunshots, and one by one the police inched closer. Alya waited, and suddenly Ladybug herself threw the bank doors open. A dozen people inched out from behind her into the bright police lights and promise of safety. In an instant they were walking into the arms of the emergency responders and reporters cheered. Ladybug stayed at the top of the bank steps, watching with a small smile.

Alya Cesaire watched her closely, and the female superhero noticed her. Anyone watching the Ladyblog saw her salute the camera and swing away off into the distance. Police rushed into the building and the only thing they found were the robbers, passed out in a heap. The information wasn't released to the press, but each man had thing red welts all around their necks… Like they had been strangled with a thin wire… From Ladybug's yoyo...


	2. Chapter 2

**Trigger Warning. Mentions of rape and blood. Shock/Panic Attack. Probably the darkest chapter for most of the book(only in the first few pages).**

Nathalie unceremoniously dumped the stack of designs on Marinette's desk. She looked up at her boss with a wry expression. A whiff of newly printed paper smell hit her suddenly. "More?" She stared disbelievingly at the new stack added to her already packed desk. She had had to invest in several file folder boxes and a container or two when she was promoted a few months back. Marinette had taken it in stride, this was not only her dream but she had to have a close eye on Adrien. Now so more than ever, what with his late night visit and hint at visiting again. Her heart beat a little faster at the thought.

Marinette had known that Chat Noir couldn't have shown up at her home last night or the previous because _Adrien_ had been attending a conference. Nathalie had gone with him, so Marinette had had to run Agreste Inc headquarters for two days. She was glad that the hard work kept her mind off of Chat Noir. She needed a few days, a clearer head, and perspective. Just an hour ago, in one of his characteristically spontaneous moods, Adrien had mysteriously asked Nathalie to cancel his last meeting for the night and Marinette was prepared to play the dangerous game they had begun only 3 days ago.

"The free-lance box has grown quite popular. I'm swamped with the absorption deal with Grey Designs and you admittedly have a more excellent eye for design than I do." Nathalie smiled at Marinette just barely, and Marinette couldn't contain her grin.

"I'll preview these right after the other paperwork you handed me. Oh!-I took care of that employee in the west wing and here-" Marinette dug into one of her little shelf boxes and took the small pile of about 4 or so applications. "We needed a replacement after that so I took the liberty of combing the applications for someone with a specific interest in that style of skirts. These stood out." Nathalie took the papers as she straightened her glasses. Marinette noticed the genuine gratitude in the slight relaxation of Nathalie's shoulders. The poor woman had to deal with so much… she just wanted to help her mentor of sorts.

"Honestly Miss Dupain-Cheng, you may just be standing where I am in a few years. You're the only person I know with so much of drive… you remind me of the late Mr. Agreste…" She trailed off before snapping back into her professional demeanor in one quick breath. "You can stay late to work on approving the designs? You're already being paid overtime, but you'll get an extra bonus, of course." The comparison to Gabriel Agreste brought a small chill to the small of Marinette's back but she shook it off. Nathalie was merely complimenting her professional work, she had no way of knowing that her former boss had secretly been Hawkmoth. She wasn't comparing her to the monster that had replaced Gabriel after Adrien's mother went missing only 7 or 8 years ago.

Marinette had forgotten that it was already 9 o'clock, but she didn't mind the extra work. She needed to get her mind off of all this. Extra time to mentally prep for the surety of a rogue not so hero showing up at her window was welcome. "Of course, ma'am."

Needless to say she was tired. The pile had taken hours and when Marinette finally put the refined stack of worthy designs and their artists' information onto Nathalie's desk she stumbled straight into the elevator that took her down to the lobby. The thrum of the elevator made her even more tired, her body knew that when it was dark out and she had ridden the elevator down she was close to sleep. It was her nightly routine. Her fashionably matching wristwatch(a gift from Nathalie, who had taken the ambitious girl under her wing), told her that it was 11:52. Now she knew exactly why her feet were so heavy. At least it was a saturday. She had tomorrow off.

"Great," Marinette muttered, her eyes narrowing. If Chat Noir was waiting in her apartment she was determined not to have a heart attack, though she couldn't guarantee that the shock to her system wouldn't kill her. She simply refused to embarrass herself like that. She put the strap of her purse around her shoulder, it was harder to steal it that way. The walk to her apartment was short but her hand was ready to defend herself with her 'mad' yo-yo skills, as Alya liked to say. Marinette felt the jitters in her stomach that were screaming about her nervousness as if she didn't already know about how scared she was. She couldn't put this meeting with the feline villain off any longer. Tikki smiled tiredly at Marinette from her purse as the girl pretended to pull something out in an effort to hide her quick check-up on the kwami. Just in case someone was watching.

She kept her pace brisk and even, despite her exhaustion. She needed to be alert at all times, someone might randomly attack her, and when she got home Chat Noir was probably waiting. She needed to be attentive. Her ears and eyes scanned the area. One last block. She really ought to get a bike or something to speed this scary transition home at night.

And again, like three days ago, she heard footsteps. She sighed. Did she need to move or something? _Seriously_ \- this was supposed to be a very safe area. She whirled around immediately and swung her fist towards the direction she assumed the face of the man who was following her was. Her fist impacted flesh with a satisfying crunch. She swung her leg up to kick him in the balls but he caught her leg with an angry cuss. She tried to yank herself away but this guy was strong. She could smell alcohol and drugs in his breath from where she stood. He started to drag her into the nearest alleyway. When they got there he growled again and Marinette started to _really_ panic internally.

"You're going to regret that, you little bitch." He hissed, grabbing her arm and yanking her face close to his. His breath was hot and sticky against her face and the stench enveloped her senses. It was much worse than she had thought a moment ago.

"I was going to do it quick but now I think I'll tear you so hard you wouldn't be able to walk even if I wasn't going to kill you afterwards." The man got closer to her face, studying it with a discomforting amount of zeal. Marinette felt even more fear, if she could just get her weapon… Could she even get away without Tikki's help? He would surely be able to identify her as Ladybug later on if she transformed in front of him. He was still admiring her face. The creep.

"You really shouldn't have said that," A voice snarled from the shadows nearby. Despite the dark and savage tone to his voice Marinette felt nothing but relief. She was safe, for now. She relaxed and the man promptly pushed her behind him down to the ground. She held in a cry of pain, determined not to make a sound and remind him of her presence any more than she had to. Her wrist and side burned from taking the brunt of the force of the push. The intended rapist pulled a small handgun out of his jacket and leveled it at Chat Noir's glimmering eyes. Marinette held in a laugh. Like he'd never had a gun pointed his way before.

Chat was in the shadows and he blended in so well, his dark leather suit making him almost invisible... All she could see were those glowing irises. If she didn't know him; she'd be frightened.

Wordlessly, with fury burning in those sapphire green eyes, Chat extended his baton to knock the black gun to the ground. He quickly swung the staff around to slam it into the criminal's face. The man cried out as blood spurted from his nose and he fell down, narrowly missing Marinette. Until that point she had been stunned stiff. But now she quickly hopped up and edged around him to get to Chat Noir. He met her halfway, surprising her by being gentle as he guided her behind him. But his violence was swiftly back as he casually punched into the man's gut and forced him down. He kicked the gun out of reach, strolling forward to forcibly bury his steel tipped boots into the man's gut.

Marinette could feel the anger rolling off Chat and she was oddly moved by the lengths of what he was willing to do for her. But her anxiety grew as Chat kept mercilessly pummeling the criminal. Marinette hadn't gotten a good look at him, and she couldn't now, not with all the blood…. All that _blood_. It pooled in the cracks in the brick at her feet. The dark red turned black in the night was oozing everywhere and she felt sick. Her throat went dry. Chat kicked again and again and again. She heard ribs crack, cheekbones fracture, an arm break? He put a foot on the man's mouth to block the screams… and his air. Chat venomously growled and whispered things to the man that Marinette was glad she couldn't hear. He hissed at the man before stepping down hard onto his ribs.

"Chat," She tentatively reached a hand out. Her vision was pulsing and she felt cold. She couldn't allow someone to be hurt so badly for her. But she was a bit afraid of him in the moment. She had never seen violence quite like this… Never seen someone beat a person so soundly as Chat was doing. Thiswas _really_ starting to scare her.

Suddenly the blond villain paused in the middle of exacting his vengeance, arm outstretched and ready to strike the man once more. His talons and hands dripped in the blood. He was breathing heavy and slowly, yet his back relaxed. Humanity returned to his eyes.

"If I hear of you within ten miles of this area ever again I swear I will dump your ass in the Seine after gutting you like the slimy eel that you are." Chat strolled away from the man and quickly- yet gently- scooped Marinette into his arms bridal style. He held her tight, and Marinette buried her face into his chest, and her fingers into the hairs at the nape of her neck. She started to tremble, and her face began to burn in little prick points. The wind briefly whipped at her, and she started to shiver.

"Shhh," Chat whispered as he took to the rooftop and presumably headed for her apartment. She couldn't breathe and the world started to shift in unnatural ways as she felt shock creep into her bones. She felt the tears build up as Chat carried her through her window and set her down on the kitchen countertop. She didn't know why, she just knew that she was starting to shudder and her skin was crawling uncomfortably. She felt like walls were closing in on her and tears pressed against her eyes. She squeezed them shut.

Chat was back and the smell of blood had diminished but it still felt like it was clogging up her senses. She felt his arms remove her purse and coat and set them down next to her. He continued to quietly reassure her, but he paused to envelop her in a warm hug. She sunk into his arms, sobbing and unable to catch her breath.

"It's okay princess. You're fine now. No one will ever hurt you… I'm sorry for scaring you back there. I just lost control- seeing you so close to- I'm sorry. You've got some blood on your clothes, we need to get those off. You're going into shock so you need to eat in just a minute. But don't think of that now, okay? Just try to match my breathing and help me take care of you okay?" He spoke softly and slowly, and Marinette tried to let the words sink in.

Chat disappeared for a quick second before returning. He gently guided her sweater up over her head and helped her into a large pj shirt. It was soft and Marinette was too shell-shocked to protest the assistance. His arms were strong and despite the images swirling in her mind she felt safe. He helped her stand as he quickly helped her out of her jeans, fingers quick and refusing to linger. Something in her wished that they would. Before she knew it she was in sweatpants and back up in his arms. He cradled her against his chest for a few moments as he walked her back to her room. He sat down on her bed and held her as she cried and shuddered.

Marinette felt like she couldn't breathe, her body just kept gasping for oxygen even though she knew that she was safe. But a part of her was stuck in that alleyway. She curled up in his arms, glad for his warmth, the strength in his arms, and the quiet reassurances he murmured to her ear.

"I've got you, Nette. You're going to be okay." His face nuzzled into her hair and she felt her body begin to relax. The world stopped spinning and she finally felt like she was actually in her room, in his arms, and perfectly secure. She shuddered one last time before forcing her body under control. She was still crying but as Chat lay her down and tucked her under her blankets the tears gradually slowed to a trickle down her cheeks. He sat on the bed and smoothed her hair and rubbed her back.

As exhaustion from the day and her very near death-rape experience caught up with Marinette, she fell asleep in the arms of Chat Noir. This was definitely not how Marinette had expected this second reunion to go. She left her eyes shut and listened to his light humming. Everything worked together to lull her to sleep and she was briefly and blissfully glad that Chat had visited her 3 days ago. She was ready to stop being selfish and was prepared to fix things. Besides… She had missed him _dearly_.

Marinette woke in the morning, groaning as her mind returned. She wasn't sure why she was so groggy. She turned to look over at her bedside table. 8:30. Her mind came spinning back and she gasped as she remembered last night's events. She stumbled out of bed as she threw off her covers. She tumbled into the bathroom and clutched the edges of the sink. Chat had saved her, taken her home, took care of her, and tucked her into bed. He hadn't taken advantage of her in her weak state. He hadn't breathed so much as a hint of anger in her direction. Sure, he had nearly murdered that other guy, but he had stopped when she prompted him to. Marinette turned on the faucet and splashed cold water onto her face. She couldn't believe that that had all happened.

She went into her kitchen to get a glass of water, rubbing her eyes and padding through her apartment. She looked down at her baggy sleepwear, and despite herself, her face began to glow red. Chat had been pretty respectful when he had helped her change, he hadn't so much as taken a lingering look at her bare skin. But still, the idea that Adrien under the black mask had taken her clothes off of her, even if he had honest intentions, was making her feel faint. She gulped down some cold water, resting her face in her hands for a moment. Gosh she was burning red…

"Good morning, purrincess." Came the silken voice from her window. She spun around, her heart beating even faster than it's flustered pace a moment ago. Now she was even more flustered with the object of her thoughts and embarrassment standing right there. She tried to shut down her blush.

"Hey, Chat." She said, trying to imbue a great deal more confidence in her voice than what she was feeling. But her voice cracked a bit. The cocky smile on the feline man's face faded as he saw through her attempts at looking somewhat normal. He stepped into her apartment, walking so that only the countertop separated them. He probably wanted to give her a sense of security by hanging back.

"Are you alright?" He asked softly, his eyes boring down into hers. She paused, studying him for a moment. He looked genuinely worried. It wasn't that she did not like the fact that he was fond of her, she just didn't understand it. Why did he care? Why wasn't the akuma clouding his mind and making his old friend impossible to be around?

"I don't know." She finally murmured, turning away from those glowing eyes. She leaned back against the counter and tried to calm her heart. She needed to be so careful, she had to make this all right, not accidentally trigger the evil inside of him by saying the wrong thing.

"Nette, I'm sorry that I scared you," He gently laid a gloved had on her shoulder, turning her to face him. _Nette_. That brought memories back…

" _Nette!" Chat called, his voice echoing down from Marinette's terrace above her room. She glanced up from her sewing machine, lifting an eyebrow as Chat came bounding down the ladder and landed in his usual feline position on her loveseat._

" _Nette?" She asked, smiling wanly at him. That was a new nickname. If Marinette didn't know better she would have sworn that he was blushing under his black leather mask. "What's going on?" She asked, turning back to her work._

" _I realized something," He came over and leaned against the wall, smiling at her rougeshly. Marinette pushed down the thoughts of how hot he looked when he did that._

" _And what did you realize, kitty?" She teased back, gazing up at him._

" _The perfect way to tell LB how I feel," Chat grinned. Marinette sighed. Of course he just had to talk about his undying love for Ladybug._

 _That was the first time he had called her Nette, after they'd been close for over a year. He never stopped, not until he stopped speaking with her at all. Not until he didn't confide in anybody anymore._

"It's okay, Chat," Marinette said quietly. Slowly she met his gaze. Slowly his hand fell from her shoulder, only to lightly brush against her fingers. Neither said anything, but the silence grew deeper with each second. His fingers nudged a bit more insistently against her own, and her fingers shifted to glide in between his. What the hell was she doing? She didn't care. Her eyes drooped a little, and his expression matched hers as he stepped closer. He didn't press against her, but he stepped forward until she was trapped between him and the counter.

"I was just so worried that you would get hurt…" His voice trailed off as his face bent closer and closer to hers. She strained onto her tiptoes slightly, her mind clouding as he got intoxicatingly nearer to her. Both their lips parted as he slowly hovered closer. Her heart beat horrendously fast; she was sure that he could hear it trembling. A chill shuddered down her spine as she felt his hot breath against her face. _So close_. It was all just so- she fainted. Her brain just shut down with the sheer surprise and want flying through her. Marinette fell back against the counter, but he caught her head before she managed to bang it on the tile. He sucked in his breath with worry.

"Nette?" He demanded as she blinked hazily. She moved to put rub her forehead with her hand, and he backed away from her a pace. She looked up at him and blushed. He looked somewhat angry. Marinette blinked and looked up at him with worry.

He looked away, as if ashamed. "I'm sorry for scaring you again, I'm just kidding myself, aren't I?" He raised his eyes to the ceiling. "Won't happen again." He promised softly.

Marinette quickly and furiously shook her head. "That's not why- no, I um..." Her cheeks grew red again, and Chat's brow furrowed.

"Why would you faint if you weren't _scared_ of me?" He wore a bitter smile.

"I…" Marinette struggled for words. What was she supposed to say? That he was too damn attractive to handle.

"Forget it, princess. I'll not bother you again." He said bitterly over his shoulder as he walked towards the open window.

"Chat!" Marinette ran after him, catching his hand. The black leather was sleek under her touch. He paused, turning to look at her and making no move to pull his hand away. "It was a… different kind of nervous." She blushed, looking down. "I'm not scared of you." She looked confidently into his eyes, meaning every word of the short phrase.

His green eyes seemed to light up and he squeezed her hand lightly. "Good," He murmured gently, his eyes open and kind. Marinette gazed up at him. And then she did something that was probably very, very stupid. She lifted shaky fingers to his face, lightly resting them against his skin. He leaned into her touch, a soft and faint rumbling coming from his chest. She had long known that he purred. It was still endearing. She leaned up, closing her eyes and kissing him.

The kiss was gentle, a mere test of their affections and interests. Chat's fingers twitched against hers and he leaned into her. He released her lips after only a moment, but it was enough. Both of them opened their eyes and looked at the other for a moment, soaking in what had just happened.


	3. Recap and Cleanup of Chapters 1-3

**This is the complete rework/edit of chapters 1 and 2.(Also Chapter 3) It's actually a bit different now, hopefully better. With this we'll be all caught up, set up, and ready to go for me to continue writing. I didn't want to just update the chapters because I wanted it cohesive and I want you to reread it in it's new nice version, and to not have to jump between chapters or whatever. The reason I didn't delete the old ones was because I wasn't sure if that would delete the reviews, which I like to look at on rainy days and I don't want to delete the words you all took the time to write for me. Another reason I wanted to release this all together is that I wanted to let you all know that I uploaded a sweet little one shot as a late christmas present for all of you who have been so patient in waiting for this story. Happy New Years, Holidays, etc. I can't wait to continue on this journey with you.**

 **WARNINGS STILL APPLY: Actually, I think I made things more violent and the near rape is definitely more serious. I wanted to make the story better and this is the direction I wanted to take it. If blood, near rape, and mentions of violence are going to affect you, please please proceed with caution. I promise that this is not going to be more mature than what I believe a 16 year old can handle easily without any triggers. I am upping my suggested age from 14 to 16+ because of the increased severity of the rape attempt on Marinette in Chapter Two. Chat Noir does save her before anything happens that would make this story unsuitable for 17+(which is an R rating going by MPAA movie ratings). But I am not your mother, or the boss of you, so please self monitor. The guidelines are what I have used to decide to change the rating to M. In addition, please remember, this fic is aged up. Chat Noir has gone rogue. He is violent several times in this story. However, no cat of mine will ever lift a claw against a woman(except for Lila who I am planning to be a baddie). Even then, he'll be fighting in self defence. For me personally, I view violence between men or women respectively, or a woman hurting a man to be less offensive than a man taking advantage of or harming a woman who is weaker than him. I do not agree with violence that is not self defence in any case, but I find a strong stereotypical man taking advantage of anyone weaker than him(male or female especially with rape) to be absolutely disgusting. Only once will any character be in serious and imminent danger of rape and that is in Chapter Two. That said, I will always list warnings at the beginning of any chapter that will contain sensitive topics.**

 **Now that I'm done scaring people off, I can promise that nothing is going to be too explicit, and that unless you have trauma, anxiety, or triggers, that you're going to be just fine. I have chronic anxiety and have had very minor trauma involving being touched inappropriately once and I was totally fine writing this. Well, other than being uncomfortable because no one likes to write such situations, even if they know that everything will be okay. Just having a scummy character exist makes my skin crawl, but thus is the life of a writer.**

* * *

 _The ne'er-do-well had the gall to grin at her. He stepped closer and closer still and she stepped farther back until she hit the wall. His playful smile turned downright predatory and Marinette felt a wave of primal fear and exhilaration crash through her body._

* * *

Ladybug was accustomed to fighting by his side. It was an easy and effortless and exhilarating rush that left her breathless each time they fought. She moved, he moved. She attacked, he had her back. A blow came for her, and he took it wordlessly. He dealt out swift punishments when she was injured, but he was never angry. She had never seen him mad. Ever. He kept himself patient, reigned in, and calm. Even when she messed up and got them into trouble. Even when she yelled at him, and he didn't deserve it, he was kind. When she stepped out of line he always reprimanded her, but never cruelly.

She had never understood it until now.

As she knelt by his shaking form, she looked at the butterfly Miraculous clutched in one of his hands. He quivered, his leather claws tainted by dark red. She looked at him, at his eyes clenched shut and at the tears dripping from his mask.

He hadn't wanted to be like his father. Like Hawkmoth.

Her fingers shook as she reached out to put a hand on his shoulder. She wasn't prepared for his reaction.

He grabbed her hand before she reached him, squeezing her wrist so hard that it hurt. She gasped as he pushed her away, roughly enough to throw her several feet from him. She clutched her wrist, which was sore and smarting. She looked at him, betrayal and confusion pooling in her blue eyes. He had never done _anything_ like this to her before.

"Adrien…" She whispered, her eyes already blurry from burning tears. His green eyes were unrecognizable. It was like something else lurked there. "Adrien please listen-" And then she stopped again when she really saw the haunted look... The black butterfly flying for him. He was broken, and somehow the emotions raging in him were enough to summon Hawkmoth's dark magic. She cried out but it was too late. The akuma flew into his mask and there was nothing she could do as his eyes grew darker and ceased to belong to someone that she knew.

* * *

Marinette crossed the street with her hand in her jacket pocket, the other clutching her bag. Hidden in her fist was a yoyo, and in anyone else's hands it shouldn't have been a threat. But it was in hers.

It was dark, and the night was still and stuffy. She had been at a party, which was why she was out at this dangerous hour. Even 4 years after Chat Noir's reign of terror began Marinette still found herself going out in the dark. She knew that it was dangerous. She knew that she was a small girl, and a lot of people out there would readily take advantage of her. She clutched her yoyo anxiously, constantly checking her environment. She was only a block from her apartment, and she lived in a very safe part of Paris. Besides, she shouldn't be so nervous. But she was nervous, incredibly so.

Since Chat Noir had left her in the remains of the Agreste mansion, sobbing, scared, and disbelieving, she hadn't donned the mask of Ladybug. After performing the repairing spell, and delivering Gabriel Agreste's body to the police... She couldn't face it. However, since then she had only expanded her skills. For most of her career as Ladybug she had relied on her kwami for strength and skill. But she had worked hard for 4 years and now she was as strong and cunning as she had been in the latex suit. She even used a normal yoyo for self-protection. The only thing she didn't have was magic.

Suddenly Marinette heard _something_ behind her and her mind was snapped to the present. Footsteps. Low and quiet and far too close for comfort. She didn't dare look behind her and tell her follower that she was aware of their presence. Some dumbass was actually sneaking up on _her_ , she was _worst_ possible person they could have picked to stalk. And then, when she turned to walk the corner, her hand whipped out of her jacket pocket and she spun with blinding speed to see: nothing. No one was there. Just a quiet and empty street with a lonely lamp illuminated in the distance.

She shoved her yoyo back into her pocket and scurried down the street and into her apartment complex. She went into the elevator quickly, breathing in and out in an attempt to calm her racing heart. She knew that someone had been behind her, but what the hell had happened? She didn't understand any of it. She unlocked her 3rd level apartment, it wasn't too high or too low, a small walk from either the elevator or stairs but they were close enough for her to dash out in a hurry. She was a bit paranoid. Of course, she could just swing out her window with her Miraculous if she _really_ needed too.

Marinette walked inside and paused in front of the open door to her bathroom. She caught sight of something twinkling on her ears in her reflection. She still wore the earrings, she didn't have the heart to take them out. But Tikki didn't speak with her. She hadn't seen her in years, and every time that she thought of her little friend it make her sick to the stomach. She didn't deserve the earrings. Her hands reached up all on their own to take them out but- she couldn't do it. Not yet. A deep, hidden part of her longed so much for the days when she cleansed akumas and swung around Paris by _his_ side. She still loved him. After discovering his identity, and despite everything that he had done, she knew that it wasn't his fault.

So she stayed close. She worked at Agreste Inc. She had climbed to the top. She loved him from a distance, always watching from afar.

He had never hurt anyone in his escapades. His criminals were the ones that did things like that. Sometimes, when her faith in the real him diminished, a serious crime would spring up. One of his gang members would kill or rape a young girl and the perpetrator would be found at the police station with claw marks running down his face. So she knew that Chat- _her_ Chat was in there somewhere. She couldn't find it in herself to fight him. She knew that it was selfish. But she wouldn't do it. She had faith in him, the ever so often discipline he displayed kept her from donning the mask and kicking his leather covered ass.

"You _know_ , you almost got jumped out there." Came a voice from her left. Marinette spun, and she was shocked, but she wasn't frightened of the voice. She knew it too well. Hopefully he didn't realize that and took the surprise in her eyes for fear.

"What?" Chat chuckled from her window seat, sitting there covered in the suit that she knew so well, despite the years. His eyes. The eyes that she could read a mile away. Gosh she loved him. After all this time he was still so damn- stop it. She chided herself. Despite the past, he was a villain now and she needed to focus. "Chat got your tongue?"

"You wish." She rolled her eyes before she could stop herself. Marinette slapped her hands over her mouth and her eyes went so wide that she was afraid that they would fall out. Oh no no _no_. This was not the time for brave Ladybug. This was the time for scared Marinette that he was less likely to be angry with. She didn't want to make him angry, that would make his emotions get out of control and then she would be in danger.

He burst out laughing as she squeaked, trying to play up the damsel in distress vibe. "I-I didn't mean that! No no, I'm grateful because you helped- Oh my god you're Chat Noir and you're going to-"

He kept laughing and she made herself stop talking. She tensely awaited for what he would say, but he kept laughing.

"Is this funny to you?" She couldn't stop herself from demanding the words and putting her hands on her hips testily. "If you think that you can just tell me somebody was going to jump me and then turn around and rob me or something-"

"Relax, _purr_ incess. I'm not going to hurt you." He suddenly interjected. Marinette was angry that- despite the fact that he had been red in the face and doubled over from laughing- he was still absolutely gorgeous. Curse Adrien for his physique, it was annoying.

"Chat's honor." He held up his fingers in an oath swearing position and Marinette made a face.

"Yeah, because you've demonstrated a lot of that." She scowled.

"Meowch, princess. I'm pawsitively wounded that you think so little of me." He stood from the window bench where he had been lounging, and began to stroll around her apartment. She stared after him, dumbfounded. What the hell did he want? Why now? Why was he suddenly right in front of her?

"I can show you the perv who was stalking you if you'd like. I dumped him in the Seine, but I could fish him out to prove it. You're really too pretty for your own good." He managed to say this all casually(while still looking hot as hell), and Marinette could only watch as he inspected her living quarters.

"E-excuse me?" She stuttered. He had to have been following her to find someone else following her. What was going on?

He turned his eyes on her incredulously. "Honestly, Mari. Look at what you're wearing." She automatically looked down at her red party dress under her nice jacket. She frowned. He might have a point.

"How do you remember my name?" She demanded, and then the cocky look in his eyes disappeared. He looked sad for just a moment... But then the sarcasm was back.

"Why purrincess, I'm shocked. We used to be quite good friends, you know." He sat in her desk chair, next to her bed. He twirled in it. "I haven't done this in a while.." He murmured.

"Done what?" Her curiosity got the better of her, and he smiled.

"Sat in your spinny chair," He said simply. She couldn't help but marvel at this all. Adrien Agreste, disguised as Chat Noir, was sitting in her apartment again. After all this time.

"How'd you find me?" She didn't live in her parent's bakery anymore. She had moved out two years ago.

"Just because I didn't visit doesn't mean that I wasn't keeping tabs on an old friend." He shrugged lightly, but Marinette heard the slightly _too_ innocent tone in his voice.

"Why would you do that?" She asked dubiously, folding her arms and popping out a hip. She hadn't been so confident in years. Despite the fact that he was now very, very dangerous, she hadn't felt so safe or comfortable in years. She had been wearing a shy shell, and now he brought out the real her, just like he always had.

"Because you used to be my best friend." He had a strange glimmer in his green eyes and the comment brought back a lot of memories to her mind. Midnight talks, hot cocoa in the winter. Him taking her to rooftops in the summer. Spraying his nose with water in the spring. Late night movies in the fall. If she hadn't been so blinded by Adrien- she would have openly admitted being in love with him. At first the suit had bothered her, the secrecy, but she knew why it was necessary. And- wait. _Used_ to be his friend?

"Used to?" She was strangely offended. Why was she offended? It wasn't her fault that he had gone practically insane and been akumatized. "It's not my fault you up and disappeared."

"I'm a criminal, remember?" He smirked, eyes sparkling with amusement. "I doubt you wanted me around anyways."

She made a noncommittal noise in her throat and he eyed her.

"Didn't you notice that you've never had any run ins or encounters with anyone in the past 4 years?" He pointed out, gesturing at her with one clawed hand.

"I live in a safe neighborhood." She said defensively.

"I made it that way." He said wryly. She scowled. _Damn him._ She hadn't even noticed that he had been around all this time. Maybe it was good that Tikki was mysteriously missing, if he was frequently watching he might have noticed. He had even known which apartment was her's, he must've been really watching.

"What do you want, Chat Noir?" She tried to distance him a little by saying his full name. She had always called him Chat, but she needed to think about this all. She would probably sit in shock all night. Good thing that it was a Friday night and unless she was called in specifically she wouldn't have to be competent tomorrow.

"Well, being a criminal is a loveless job, _purr_ incess." He wiggled an eyebrow, sporting another dangerously alluring smirk. Her heart beat a little faster.

"If you wanted sex you could get it." She said flatly.

"That's not what I meant." He held back a chuckle, leaning back in the chair.

"Why now?" She asked. She begged his green eyes with her own, why appear to her now? Why _now_ …

"I don't know…" He mused, picking up a pencil off of her desk and examining it methodically. He looked up at her from under his lashes, she hoped that he didn't hear her breath catch. He smirked a little more and she grumbled. Damn that cat.

There was an underlying current in the air that flowed between them. She almost couldn't believe he was there. It was like they were suddenly teenagers again and that tension was back. Tension that they didn't know how to explain or accept, a connection that they had shoved down for the people they had idolized and thought they loved. A tug that pulled them together and urged her to step forward, to step closer to him, to be closer. And then they both blinked and the spell fell away.

"I'll see you around, princess." He jumped up lithely, and in what seemed like one smooth motion he swung out her window and into the night. She raced after to lean out the window, gazing into the dark of Paris and searching the skyline for a trace of him. Her heart fluttered, reminded of all the times that he had done something like that before, back when they were partners. She frowned, shut her window, and locked it. Not like that would stop _him_. But, she wasn't worried about being in danger from Chat Noir. No, she had seen something in his eyes. A plea. He was finally breaking through and he wanted help, no matter how subconscious it was. She had to believe that or she might just go insane.

"Tikki…?" She asked quietly, turning to face her empty apartment, hoping against hope that her companion would come back. And before her eyes, a red spark exploded into existence. Tikki, the ladybug kwami, her friend, looked at her with tears in her eyes.

"Oh, Marinette. I missed you so." The kwami flew forwards into the crook of her neck and Marinette began to cry, too.

"Oh, T-tikki." The tears came in earnest. "I'm so sorry… I failed Paris, I failed _you_ … But we have to make this right. I love my city, and I left it to ruin… But I need your help to save it."

"It's okay, Marinette. You just needed to grow strong enough to do this, and you have! I'm so proud of you for not giving up hope! I know you can do this." Marinette curled in on herself and sat on the floor, holding the little kwami close to her chest. Those were the words that she needed to hear. That it was okay. That she had needed time and that she could make things right.

She held her closest friend tight and let herself begin to heal.

But she had work to do.

"Spots On, Tikki…" She whispered, the old words putting courage into her bones. A smile spread across her face as the transformation took and that familiar magic spread throughout her. Her eyes opened- raw power surging in them. She flung her window open, grabbed her yoyo, and swung into the broken city that she was determined to fix.

* * *

Alya Cesaire was surfing the news when she saw it. There were police surrounding a bank with hostages in it. She was about to change channels, this wasn't anything new. She only ever checked the news because she wanted to be a journalist, otherwise she would have avoided reminders of the sad state that Paris was in. But then she saw _it_. A little red blur in the corner of the screen. She looked closer at her tv. _It couldn't be._

"No way…" She whispered, eyes wide. But she'd know that suit anywhere. "NINO!" She screeched for her boyfriend, just about falling off the couch in her haste. A second later he was stumbling out of their bedroom wearing only his boxers. He was wide awake, despite having been deeply asleep seconds ago. He had long ago adjusted to Alya's journalistic antics in the middle of the night.

"Get the Ladyblog servers up!" She yelled, running for a coat and her camera. She shoved her phone in her pocket and got her camera ready for streaming.

" _What?!_ " Nino asked, shaking his head, thinking that he must still be asleep.

"C'mon!" She ran out the door, still in bunny slippers.

For the first time in 4 years the Ladyblog was streaming, and all over the city alerts buzzed and people watched in awe as Ladybug herself- the long gone darling of Paris- appeared. It was her. Ladybug smiled, her blue eyes sparkling.

"It's been a long time, Paris. But I'm here, and I'm going to set things right. I will protect you, and I will deal with Chat Noir. You will no longer live in fear, because I promise that I will restore Paris. I love my city, and I will do anything to save it." She vowed, looking repentant to her whole city.

One could almost hear the discouraged and beaten heart of the city lift at the promise of freedom.

The crowd and the city waited. One by one they heard the gunshots, and one by one the police inched closer. Alya waited, and suddenly Ladybug herself threw the bank doors open. A dozen people inched out from behind her into the bright police lights and promise of safety. In an instant they were walking into the arms of the emergency responders and the crowd of reporters cheered. Ladybug stayed at the top of the bank steps, watching with a small smile.

Alya Cesaire watched her with a wide smile, and the female superhero noticed her. Anyone watching the Ladyblog saw her salute the camera with a small bow and swing away off into the distance. Police rushed into the building and the only thing they found were the robbers, passed out in a heap. The information wasn't released to the press, but each man had thing red welts all around their necks… Like they had been strangled with a thin wire… with a _yoyo_.

* * *

Nathalie unceremoniously dumped the stack of designs on Marinette's desk. She looked up at her boss with a wry expression. A whiff of newly printed paper smell hit her suddenly. "More?" She stared disbelievingly at the new stack added to her already packed desk. She had had to invest in several file folder boxes and a container or two when she was promoted a few months back. Marinette had taken it in stride, this was not only her dream but she had to have a close eye on Adrien. Now so more than ever, what with his late night visit and hint at visiting again. Her heart beat a little faster at the thought.

Marinette had known that Chat Noir couldn't have shown up at her home last night or the previous because _Adrien_ had been attending a conference. Nathalie had gone with him, so Marinette had had to run Agreste Inc headquarters for two days. She was glad that the hard work kept her mind off of Chat Noir. She needed a few days, a clearer head, and perspective. Just an hour ago, in one of his characteristically spontaneous moods, Adrien had mysteriously asked Nathalie to cancel his last meeting for the night and Marinette was prepared to play the dangerous game they had begun only 3 days ago.

"The free-lance box has grown quite popular. I'm swamped with the absorption deal with Grey Designs and you admittedly have a more excellent eye for subtle design than I do." Nathalie smiled at Marinette just barely, and Marinette couldn't contain her grin.

"I'll preview these right after the other paperwork you handed me. _Oh_!-I took care of that employee in the west wing and here-" Marinette dug into one of her little shelf boxes and took the small pile of about 4 or so applications.

"We needed a replacement after that so I took the liberty of combing the applications for someone with a specific interest in skirts. These stood out." Nathalie took the papers as she straightened her glasses. Marinette noticed the genuine gratitude in the slight relaxation of Nathalie's shoulders. The poor woman had to deal with so much… she just wanted to help her mentor of sorts.

"Honestly Miss Dupain-Cheng, you may just be standing where I am in a few years. You're the only person I know of with so much drive… Actually, you remind me of the late Mr. Agreste…" She trailed off before snapping back into her professional demeanor in one quick breath.

"Can you stay late to work on approving the designs? You're already being paid overtime, but you'll get an extra bonus for this of course." The comparison to Gabriel Agreste brought a small chill to the small of Marinette's back but she shook it off. Nathalie was merely complimenting her professional work, she had no way of knowing that her former boss had secretly been Hawkmoth. She wasn't comparing her to the monster that had replaced Gabriel after Adrien's mother went missing 7 or 8 years ago.

Marinette had forgotten that it was already 9 o'clock, but she didn't mind the extra work. She needed to get her mind off of all this. Extra time to mentally prep for the surety of a rogue not so hero showing up at her window was welcome. "Of course, ma'am."

* * *

Needless to say she was tired. The pile had taken hours and when Marinette finally put the refined stack of worthy designs and their artists' information onto Nathalie's desk she stumbled straight into the elevator that took her down to the lobby. The thrum of the elevator made her even more tired, her body knew that when it was dark out and she had ridden the elevator down she was close to sleep. It was her nightly routine. Her fashionably matching wristwatch(a gift from Nathalie, who had taken the ambitious girl under her wing), told her that it was 11:52. Now she knew exactly why her feet were so heavy. At least it was a saturday. She had tomorrow off for sure.

"Great," Marinette muttered, her eyes narrowing. If Chat Noir was waiting in her apartment she was determined not to have a heart attack, though she couldn't guarantee that all this shock to her system wouldn't kill her. She simply refused to embarrass herself like that. She put the strap of her purse around her shoulder, it was harder to steal it that way. The walk to her apartment was short but her hand was ready to defend herself with her 'mad' yo-yo skills, as Alya liked to say. After being almost jumped a few days ago, well, Marinette felt the jitters in her stomach keenly as they screamed with nervousness as if she didn't already know about how scared she was. She couldn't put this meeting with the feline rogue off any longer. Tikki smiled tiredly at Marinette from her purse as the girl pretended to pull something out in an effort to hide her quick check-up on the kwami. Just in case someone was watching.

She kept her pace brisk and even, despite her exhaustion. She needed to be alert at all times, someone might randomly attack her, and when she got home Chat Noir was probably waiting. She needed to be attentive. Her ears and eyes scanned the area. One last block. She really ought to get a bike or something to speed this scary transition home at night.

But again, like three days ago, she heard footsteps. She sighed. Did she need to move or something? _Seriously_ \- this was supposed to be a very safe area. She whirled around immediately and swung her fist towards the direction she assumed the face of the man who was following her was. Her fist impacted flesh with a satisfying crunch. She swung her leg up to kick him in the balls but he caught her leg with an angry cuss. She tried to yank herself away but this guy was strong. She could smell alcohol in his breath, those might be making him more forceful. He started to drag her into the nearest alleyway and she awkwardly fought to get away, but she only had one leg to move on. When they got close he growled again and Marinette started to _really_ panic.

"You're going to regret that, you little bitch." He hissed, grabbing her arm and yanking her face close to his. His breath was hot and sticky against her face and the stench enveloped her senses. It was much worse than she had thought a moment ago when it was this close.

"I saw you a few days ago, a pretty young thing in red. I was only going to take what I wanted, not rough you up too much, but that damn _Chat Noir_ got in the way. After that trip in the river I deserve this." He pushed her against the wall, was that the sound of a zipper? She felt tears press at her eyes as he felt up her thighs, getting closer and closer to- he reached under her skirt and _touched_ her. She wanted to vomit. He roughly pulled at her underwear to clear his path and she knew it was time to scream but he shoved a hand over her mouth. It may have muffled her cry but it gave her a chance to bite down hard on his fingers. He yelped, pulling his hands away from her mouth and her body.

She spit in his face and fought harder, nearly breaking away, amazed that he was strong enough to grab her and pull her back. No no no no no, she refused to let him touch her like that again- this was not happening.

"I was _still_ going to do it nice and quick but now I think I'll tear your pussy up so hard you wouldn't be able to walk- even if I weren't going to kill you afterwards." He pushed her skull against the alley wall and squeezed her throat and cheek. She knew she would bruise. The brute got closer to her face, studying it with a further discomforting amount of hunger. Marinette felt more fear, if that were even possible. If she could just get her weapon… But could she even get away without _Tikki's_ help? He would surely be able to identify her as Ladybug later on if she transformed in front of him. He was still admiring her face as he started yanking down her underwear and she kept struggling, but he only kept growling. His fingers started prodding her, looking for _that_ spot.

" _Theo Barbot_." Came a musing voice. A voice she would know anywhere. The man froze.

"You _really_ shouldn't have said that to her," He snarled from the shadows nearby. Despite the dark and savage tone Marinette felt nothing but relief. Oh god he was _here_ \- she was going to be _okay_.

She relaxed as her rapist promptly pushed her behind him and down to the ground. She held in a cry of pain, but she was determined not to make a sound and remind him of her presence. Her wrist and side burned from taking the brunt of the force of the push but she just gritted her teeth as a few silent tears rolled down her face. Was it from pain of relief? She didn't know.

The thug- Barbot- pulled a small handgun out of his waistband and leveled it at Chat Noir's glimmering eyes. Marinette held in a hollow laugh. Like he'd never had a gun pointed his way before- just how stupid was this man?

Chat was somewhere in the shadows and he blended in so well, his dark leather suit making him almost invisible... All she could see were those glowing irises. If she didn't know him; she'd be frightened. But she did know him; she felt safe again.

Wordlessly, with fury burning in those sapphire green eyes, Chat extended his baton to knock the black gun to the ground. He quickly swung the staff around to slam it into the criminal's face. The man cried out as blood spurted from his nose and he fell down, narrowly missing Marinette. Until that point she had been stiff. But now she quickly scrambled away to get to Chat Noir. He met her halfway, surprising her with his gentleness as he placed her behind him. But his violence was swiftly back as he casually strolled forward to viciously punch into the man's gut and force him down to the dirty cobblestone. He kicked the handgun out of reach, moving forward to forcibly bury his steel tipped heel into the man's gut.

Marinette could feel the anger rolling off Chat. Her anxiety returned as Chat kept mercilessly pummeling the criminal. Marinette hadn't gotten a good look at him laying there, and she definitely couldn't now, not with all the blood…. All that _blood_. It was starting to pool in the cracks in the brick at her feet. The dark red turned black in the night was oozing _everywhere_ and she felt so _sick_. How much blood could you lose before you died? Her throat went dry. Chat kicked again and again and again. She heard ribs crack, bones fracture, an arm break? He put a foot on the man's mouth to block the screams… and his air. Chat venomously growled and whispered things to the man that Marinette was glad she couldn't hear. He hissed at the man before stepping down onto his ribs again.

"Chat, _please_ ," Her voice cracked. She dizzily reached a hand out. Her vision was pulsing and she felt foggy. She couldn't allow someone to be hurt so badly, even if he was the worst kind of scum. Even if Barbot had touched her so. This was past the point of no return.

And... she was afraid of him in the moment. She had never seen violence quite like this… Never seen someone beat a person so soundly as Chat was doing. This was scaring her. What if he was lost to her forever?

Suddenly the blond paused in the middle of exacting his vengeance, arm outstretched and ready to strike the man yet again. His claws dripped with blood. He was breathing heavy and slowly, yet his back relaxed. Humanity returned to his eyes.

"If I hear of you within ten miles of this area ever again I swear I will dump your ass in the Seine again after gutting you like the slimy eel that you are and tearing off what you just tried to use." He hissed. He stood and spun away.

Chat about ran to her and quickly- yet gently- scooped Marinette into his arms bridal style. He held her tight, and Marinette buried her face into his chest, and her fingers curled up against his chest by her head. She started to tremble, and her face began to burn in little prick points as the wind briefly whipped at her. She shivered.

"Shhh," Chat whispered as he took to the rooftops and presumably headed for her apartment. She couldn't breathe and the world started to shift in unnatural ways as she felt shock creep into her bones. She felt the tears build up again as Chat carried her through her window and set her down somewhere soft. Her skin crawled like masses of bugs were all over her and she shuddered uncontrollably. She felt like walls were closing in on her and burning tears pressed against her eyes. She squeezed them shut.

Chat was back and the faint coppery stench of blood had diminished but it still felt like it was clogging up her senses. She felt his arms remove her purse and coat and set them down next to her. He continued to quietly reassure her, but he paused to envelop her in a warm hug. She sunk into his arms, sobbing and unable to catch her breath.

"It's going to be okay, princess, it's going to be okay. No one is going to get to you. _No_ one is going to touch you _ever_ again…" She thought she heard him struggle, like he might break down too.

"I'm sorry for scaring you back there. I just… I just lost control- seeing you so close to- I'm so sorry, I'm _so_ sorry." He squeezed her tightly and she let more tears of relief fall down her cheeks.

"You've got some blood on your clothes, we need to get those off. You'll probably want to shower, too. You're going into shock so you'll need to eat in just a minute, but don't think of that now, okay? Just try to match my breathing so you can calm down and let me help you through this, alright?" He spoke softly and Marinette tried to let the words sink in. He was going to help take care of her, it was going to be okay.

Chat let go of her and disappeared again. She heard him open her bedroom door before returning. He gently guided her sweater up over her head and helped her into a long pajama shirt. It was soft and Marinette was too shell-shocked to do much to help. His arms were strong and despite the images swirling in her mind she _did_ feel safe. She knew she was safe with him.

He helped her stand as he disposed of her skirt, fingers quick and refusing to linger even though he couldn't see underneath her shirt. She was thankful for his respect. The shirt covered her upper legs for modesty's sake but when he saw that her underwear had been yanked down so far he hesitated.

"I saw him reaching to _touch_ you, reaching to do worse." She felt more than heard his anger swell again as he choked on his words. "Did he…" She shook her head, closing her eyes and leaning against him for strength.

"Thank God," He whispered, burying his head in her hair for a moment. "Oh _God_ , I'm so _sorry_ Marinette."

She didn't reply. She didn't know what to say.

"If you shower it'll help you feel less…" He trailed off, struggling to maintain composure.

"Okay." She whispered, her voice raw from crying.

He supported her as she went to her bedroom and got some fresh underclothes, looking steadily away to provide her some shred of privacy. He continued to help her until they reached the bathroom.

"I'll wait right here." He promised, letting her go. "It's going to be okay."

She nodded to reassure him and slipped into the bathroom. When she was done he was waiting for her. She had changed into sweatpants but she was still wearing the shirt.

Before she knew it she was back in his arms, embraced into a tight hug. He cradled her against his chest for a few moments before he walked her back to her room, giving her space yet supporting her. He sat down on the edge of her bed and just squeezed her hand for comfort.

Marinette felt like she couldn't breathe, now out of the shower, her lungs just kept gasping for oxygen and her heart pounded even though she knew that she was safe. She sagged against his side until he put his arms around her.

She curled up to him, glad for his warmth, the strength in his arms, and the quiet reassurances he murmured to her ear.

"I've got you, Nette. It's going to be okay." His face nuzzled into her hair and she felt her body begin to relax. After a while the world stopped spinning so fastly and she actually felt like she was in her room, in his arms, and secure. She shuddered one last time before forcing her anxiety under control. It was okay to be panicked and scared after tonight, but now it was time to try to calm down so that she could get food in her system and shock out of it.

"I'm going to get you some water but I need you to try and eat just a few crackers." She nodded and he was back a minute later with a glass and some saltines.

As exhaustion from the day and her very near death experience caught up with Marinette, she fell asleep under the watchful eyes of Chat Noir.

* * *

When she awoke, Marinette thought about everything that had happened. The glass of water at her bedside and the mangy cat on her couch confirmed that it was not just an awful nightmare. She had been raped, thankfully not to the fullest extent, because Chat Noir had rescued her.

As she fried some eggs, tried to breathe evenly and remind herself that she was safe, Marinette's eyes wandered back to Chat's body. He was sitting on her sofa, probably having fallen asleep at some point while waiting in case she needed him. She laid a blanket over him when she got up.

At some point the smell of food must have awaken him. He stretched, neck probably stiff, and she approached with a plate. He looked at her with wide eyes. But he didn't say anything, which she was grateful for.

She sat beside him with her own plate and they ate in silent companionship. It was peaceful and Marinette was glad he was here because she didn't know if she would be able to feel safe otherwise.

"Thank you," His voice was soft as she took their empty plates to the small kitchenette. She offered him a small smile, eyes watery. She could feel emotion bubbling up despite her efforts to breathe calmly and focus on the present.

"Thank _you_ ," She said hoarsely. He nodded solemnly and stood.

"I have to go."

"I know."

"Would you like me to come back later?" He asked. It made her smile. His respect for her boundaries after everything that happened made her feel valued. She knew that despite his roguish nature, and his disregard for her whims on their first reunion, that he really did care.

"I know you can handle yourself, Marinette." He started seriously, looking away for a moment. "...I just want to help keep you safe. I'll leave you alone, if that's what you really want… But I- I think it might break me if you were hurt again, let alone _worse_." He admitted.

"It's going to be okay," Marinette said quietly. "And I'm not going to push you away."

He seemed relieved.

"Until later, then?"

"Till then."

* * *

She spent the day inside. She took a nap, forced herself to eat something, and let herself rest. There was some work she could do, there always was, but she knew that she needed to give herself a little time- at least a day- to breathe before she threw herself head first into the whirlwind of life. It was okay to take a day so that she could handle the next one, especially when it was already her day off.

When she heard the knock on her window sometime around eight she was quick to answer.

"Hey, Chat." She said, trying to imbue a great deal more oomph in her voice than what she was feeling. But her voice cracked a bit. The half hearted smile on the feline thief's face faded as he saw through her attempts at looking somewhat normal. It seemed he, too, wasn't able to pretend.

He stepped into her apartment, but didn't approach her after she sat down on her couch. He shut the window and moved away from it, but he didn't get much closer. He probably wanted to give her some space by hanging back. Even though it was alright if he got closer, she appreciated how much he was doing to help her.

"Are you alright?" He asked softly, his eyes boring into hers. She paused, studying him for a moment. He looked genuinely worried. It didn't make sense to her, even after a whole day of pondering. It wasn't that she didn't like the fact that he was fond of her, she just didn't understand it. Why did he care? Why wasn't the akuma clouding his mind and making his old friend impossible to be around? Why would he save her? Continue to help her?

"I don't know." She finally murmured, turning away from those glowing eyes. She leaned back against the sofa. "I will be, I think I'm doing okay, it's just…"

"Hard." He finished for her.

She nodded.

"Will you be alright tonight?"

She smiled softly at him. "I hope so."

* * *

After a week of Chat Noir checking on her every night, however brief, and Marinette was starting to feel safe outside of her apartment during the day. She went home at an appropriate time after work, when it was still light to combat her anxiety, and things were getting better.

She remembered monday, when she had been sickly all day. Nathalie had been very patient with her nerves, but did not treat her differently, which Marinette appreciated. She may have gone through something traumatic, that made her fear the shadows and look for movement out the corner of her eyes, but she didn't want to be molly coddled.

 _"Marinette," Nathalie had said. "If you need someone to speak to, please, do not be afraid to approach me."_

It had been an uncharacteristically emotional thing for the woman to do, but Marinette's heart had been warmed by her mentor's attempt to reach out and her ability to read her so well.

She was much feeling better by the time it had been two weeks. Finally, she didn't wake up from a nightmare, or need to shower because her skin crawled. She didn't have to heave into the toilet in the middle of the night because she just felt so disgusting. She didn't need Chat to give her space, or anyone for that matter.

Marinette was handling it. Sure, she had support from Alya, Nathalie, Chat Noir, and Tikki, but she was beating down the fear and pushing through.

After Chat Noir left one night, Marinette felt confident enough to transform and leave her apartment at night.

When Ladybug stopped a criminal heist and Alya sang praises about it the next day, making her smile widely, Marinette knew for certain that she was going to be okay.

* * *

Marinette was sketching away when Chat entered her apartment. He walked the few steps to see what she was working on and smiled to see it.

"It's good to see you drawing again." He remarked, leaning over her shoulder.

"It feels good to do it." She responded. "Do you want some hot chocolate?" She asked, rising to go and turn the stove off.

"Sure."

She poured them both a mug and turned to see Chat standing behind her with an expression that looked anxious.

"Look, Nette, I have something I need to say."

She set the mugs down on the counter as he began to pace before her. She didn't feel guilty for letting her eyes appraise him, so long as they didn't linger anywhere too long. She knew there was a line between admiring someone and creeping on someone. She knew that firsthand.

"Nette- I just-" he stopped and turned to walk up to her. He placed his gloved hands on her shoulders, gentle and firm.

"Every night I'm haunted by your eyes- wide and terrified- and I _did_ that to you." He closed his eyes and shook his head. "And I can't tell you just how much I wish I could erase it, _all_ of it, and I just-" He squeezed her shoulders faintly as he struggled to voice his feelings.

"I was just so worried that you would get hurt… And I can't stop thinking about how I _scared_ you." His voice cracked.

"Chat," She said, prompting him to look into her eyes. She had to stop him from going down this road of panic.

"I am not afraid of you." She asserted. "I trust you, more than _anyone_ , however foolish that may be."

She gave him a small smile.

He was silent, eyes conflicted. His hands slid down her arms and she took them, intertwining their fingers. Something in those green eyes shifted as she gazed into them.

"I'm not afraid of you." She reaffirmed, squeezing his hands.

His green eyes seemed to light up and he squeezed her hand back. "Good," He murmured gently, and Marinette gazed up at him. And then she did something that was probably very, very stupid.

She lifted their interlocked fingers to his face, lightly resting the back of her hand against his skin. He leaned into her touch, a soft and faint rumbling coming from his chest. She had long known that he purred, but it was still endearing.

She leaned up, closed her eyes, and kissed him. The kiss was gentle, she just pressed her lips against his chastely. Chat's fingers twitched against hers as he leaned into her. He released her lips after only a moment, but it was enough. Both of them opened their eyes and looked at the other for a moment, soaking in what this meant.

"This is crazy." Marinette whispered.

"I know," Chat's eyes were still locked onto hers.

"We didn't speak for years."

"I know." He put his hands on her hips lightly, as if he were going to break her.

"You saved my life."

"I know."

"You're a _criminal_."

"I know."

"And I... don't care." She realized.

"I _know_ ," A sinful smirk graced his lips and Marinette felt her heart pound. A month ago she would have felt uncomfortable with the look he gaze her. Not because it was predatory, because it _wasn't_. Not because she didn't want him too, because she did. But because it made her insides twinge and her pulse light. It was nothing like the way her intended murderer had looked at her, but it did carry a wanting in it. This wanting was gentler, and respectful, and had built up over years. The want he had for her was okay- actually... it was _good_.

Marinette smiled.


End file.
